LAST EDITED ON 04-23-10 AT 02:36 PM (EST)Wow, I really like your theory regarding Jacob and his possible survival of another electromagnetic event, michel. It is plausible at this point! I, too, get a very Jacob feel from Desmond. But, I think that both Sayid and Claire were pulled back to their former selves. Desmond and Kate hit their core motivations to stay with Locke, and perhaps they were able to "unlocke" his hold on them. But, you are right, Sayid did let Desmond talk to him. I must say that Sayid has shown signs that he is still there, prior to his confrontation with Desmond. When he kidnapped Desmond, he chose not to kill Zoe. When XLocke ordered him to kill Desmond, he paused, and even XLocke questioned him and reminded him if he wanted to see Nadia again, and did he still want what he had asked for. So, I think Desmond knew somehow, that Sayid could indeed be pulled back. He pointed things out to him.
As for Claire, she is a little more complicated because we have seen how under his spell she is. She's been with him for 3 years, ever since everyone abandoned her. She must have been with him as Christian, however, since he didn't get Locke's body until they came back to the Island....this part was a little sketchy for me. However, Kate spoke from her heart. She reminded Claire that she had been there since his birth, and that it was she that should have raised him, and that the only reason she came back was to come and get her. She reminded her that John wasn't one of them, and that it wasn't John. And, she said regardless of what John had promised her, it was she who could get her Aaron back. With this, I do think that Claire has crossed back over.
With these two characters we see that the spell can indeed be broken, imo. You still have a choice to change your mind or not to. Are these two examples that Jacob was right, that all men are not corrupt, as MiB firmly believes? I think we are seeing the beginning of the end, and it only ends once. Jacob is going to prove that all men are not corrupt.
Here are my observations and thoughts on "the Last Recruit"...
Show starts out with Hurley and company coming into camp...XLocke only seems interested in one particular Lostie..."Hi Jack, we have some catching up to do." Jack asks Hurley's permission, as Hurley has been posing as the leader...he agrees, and they go off and talk...
Jack: "You look just like him", XLocke: "Does that bother you?", Jack: No, what bothers me is I don't have any idea what the hell you are."
XLocke: "Sure you do"
Jack: "Why John Locke"
XLocke: "Beause he was stupid enough to believe that he'd been brought here for a reason, cause he pursued that belief until it got him killed, and because you were kind enough to bring his body back here in a nice wooden box."
Jack: "He had to be dead before you could look like him?"
XLocke: "That's right"
Jack: "the third day I was here I saw, chased my father through the jungle, my dead father, was that you?"
XLocke: Yes, that was me"
Jack: "Why"
XLocke: "Because you needed to find water. All I've ever been interested in is helping you..."
Jack: "To do what?"
XLocke: "Leave. But because Jacob chose you, you were trapped on this island before you even got here. Now Jacob's dead, we don't have to be trapped anymore."
Jack: "If we can fly away anytime, why are we still here?"
XLocke: "Because it has to be all of us..."
Jack: "What? John Locke was the only one of us that ever believed in this place. He did everything he could to keep us from leaving..."
XLocke: "John Locke was not a believer, Jack, he was a sucker. "
First of all, I get the impression that John XLocke is a bold face liar and that he is seriously conning Jack. Jack knew John Locke, and Jack got his suicide note, that he wished he had believed him. And, I think it took his death to make Jack a believer. And, I think that Jack knows that they are indeed there for a purpose, afterall how could everything that's happened to them be explained? The mere presence of XLocke, smokey, negates that this can be explained by science alone...Jack knows that John Locke was indeed a believer, and NOT a sucker.
Notice that this exchange is completely between XLocke and Jack....much of Lost has indeed revolved around the conflict between Locke, the man of faith, and Jack, the man of science. Now that Jack has become like the new Locke, the new man of faith, XLocke wants nothing more than to discount that. It still is a story between "Locke" and Jack.
Clearly, Jack IS the "Last Recruit". Were any of us surprised that Christian was XLocke/Smokey? Still questions regarding Christian however....his time when he was seen post death in Jack's LA world...
From this scene, we cut to the John Locke in the ambulance and he speaks of Helen, and that he was supposed to marry her. I do believe he is remembering the original time line. Then we have Sun arriving and being rolled along with the wounded Locke....and she see's him. Clearly, she sees XLocke from the Island time, she does not see John Locke. She has remembered as well.
After this scene, we cut to Locke finding Claire, and she is reunited with her brother. XLocke leaves them, as they "look like they have alot of catching up to do", which is exactly what he just told Jack earlier. Jack apologizes to Claire, she asks if he told him that he was their father. It's good to see him and she's happy that he's coming with them. He notes that he hasn't decided whether or not he's going to come with them, and she notes, "Yeah, you have. You decided the moment you let him talk to you, just like the rest of us. So, whether you like it or not, you're with him now.
So, she tells us something we've heard before from Dogan in warning regarding a meeting with XLocke/smokey....don't let him speak!!! Cause if he does, apparently you are "with" him. I think that this might change with our Losties, as they are "uncorruptable", because of their mutual experiences and regard for each other....we'll see.
Then they cut to day time and Sawyer is telling Hurley about Widmore's sub, and that his plan is to get the other Losties and escape on the sub. Hurley asks about Sun, and is told that Kate is telling her about it. Then Hurley says, "What about Sayid", and Sawyer replies that "he ain't invited, Sayid's gone over to the dark side". To which Hurley responds, "Yeah, but you can always bring people back from the dark side....I mean, Annakin...." To which Saywer responds, "who the hell is that? Just keep your mouth shut and don't say nothing to no one", as Claire walks up and says, hi. Hurley says, "hey Claire....you look great"....a typical Hurley response, and he hugs her...then Sawyer looks over and sees Locke and Jack returning to camp...
Another clue from Hurley (foreshadowing) that indeed Sayid CAN be brought back from the dark side, as Jacob eluded to in his scene with MiB on the beach about how it's going to end.
....this is incongruent with the flow of events for me. It was just pitch dark, where the heck did Jack and XLocke come from, last we saw Jack, he was with Claire. Now it's daylight and all are up and out. Doesn't fit for me, did they time jump? What?
Locke walks in and says a Hurley line, comic relief, and a line that we, the audience, all are thinking...."It's so nice to have everyone back together again!" Indeed, FINALLY! We pan to Sawyer, and then cut to Sideways world, and Sawyer, eating an apple and rounding the corner in the police station. He offers Kate a bite of the apple...as blackandwhitedog noted, an Adam and Eve reference perhaps? They proceed to have a conversation about her being wanted for arson, assault on a federal agent, and for murder in the first degree. Kate denies that she's a murderer. Then he asks her if she remembers him...."Do you remember me?" Classic....do you remember me from the Island?, he mentions, "from the airport?" She replies, "yeah, I remember you" more foreshadowing that they will remember each other from the Island world as well... Sawyer says it's wierd, "with all the cars in Los Angeles, you smash into mine. Like someone's trying to put us together"...someone like Jacob, perhaps?. Then Kate responds, " Are you hitting on me?" She has spoken these very same words to Sawyer in the past on the Island. I have found this show to be full of lines from the past Island life from many of the characters, which I will outline in red..
She goes on to question why he didn't arrest her then, at LAX, because he knew that she had handcuffs. He denies seeing them, which we know is a lie, and she calls him out, that he didn't want anyone to know that he'd been to Australia....she calls his bluff....as she has also done in the Island time. Sawyer smiles, and replies, "Oh, I like you". This is when Miles interrupts them and calls Sawyer over with the multiple homicide with lowlife named Keamy and 3 goons on his payroll. Female GSW at scene and her boyfriend witnessed it. Suspect's a jaboni from the scene, and they play the ATM tape and Sawyer notes, Sayid, "that's our bad guy". Just as he had finished pointing out to Hurley on the Island that Sayid was on the dark side, he's our bad guy.
Cut to Jack and Kate talking about XLocke wanting to leave, and they all need to go together, do you believe him, Jack says he's not sure yet.
Cut to Zoe coming into camp...Claire asking Hurley what's going on, and in true Hurley fashion, "people are trying to kill us again". Zoe tells XLocke what Widmore is capable of with the bomb, and leaves the walkie talkie demanding that by nightfall what was stolen from them must be returned.....I notice that once again, as XLocke gave the Temple inhabitants until sundown to make up their minds to join them or not, Zoe gives the same time limit...sundown. XLocke spears the walkie talkie and notes, "Oh well, here we go", signaling the beginning of the "end"/war.
Then we cut to Desmond meeting Claire in the Office building as she heads to the adoption agency and he's going to his attorney's office. Clearly, Desmond is stalking with a capital "S"....but perhaps like Penny in the stadium, she is not afraid of him, yet drawn to him. He tells her that adoption contracts are complicated and you could find yourself in a situation that's "irreversible". Which reminds me that Jack told John Locke in the first episode of this season that 'nothing is irreversible'. She agrees to see his lawyer, and it's Ilana, who exclaims to Claire, "We've been looking for you". Ilana goes to speak to her alone.
Cut to camp XLocke and he declares that "These people have forced our hand, claiming we stole something from them, to provoke us into a confrontation. If that's what they want, that's what they will get!" XLocke then gets Sawyer to gather the boat, and gives him the map, and then goes and takes Sayid away giving him orders to go kill Desmond, and Sayid hesitates, foreshadowing that Sayid is still in that zombie somewhere. Also, Sawyer takes on the "Jack" role and gives orders for Jack to follow his plan and map. This scene clearly tells us that XLocke is indeed very much a liar. He did steal "the package", and he knows it.
Then we cut to a scene that seems "irreversible", but is it? Desmond in the well and Sayid approaching with the gun. He sits down, and let's Desmond speak to him....as michel noted....Without even looking up at him, in an all-knowing fashion, Desmond asks: "So, what did he offer you?" Sayid does not respond, so Desmond does, "If you are gonna shoot me in cold blood, brutha, I think I have a right to know what you are getting for it?"
Sayid: "They told me I could get something back I lost"
Desmond: "And what did you lose?"
Sayid: "The woman I loved."
Desmond: "Where is she now?"
Sayid: "Dead"
Desmond: "What makes you think Locke can bring her back?"
Sayid: "I died, and he brought me back."
Desmond: "So, what will you tell her?"
Sayid: "What do you mean?"
Desmond: As the soft gentle loving reunion music starts to play, the same music that played when Jack, Hurley, and Richard were reunited with Sun, Ilana, Ben, Miles, and Frank, Des asks, "This woman, when she asks you what you did to get her back, Desmond looks up at Sayid with pleading, loving eyes, and finishes, "What will you tell her?"
GREAT SCENE!!! In my opinion the pivotal scene of the night, and perhaps the pivotal scene of the series. Sayid will repel the dark side, the dark force, the dark smokey. He will break free because the all knowing, KEY that he is, Desmond, has appealed to his sense of right and wrong. Through the whole series, Sayid has always been very hard on himself....in season one, after he tortured Sawyer, he bannished himself for his actions....in sideways world he couldn't be with Nadia and have real happiness because he was not worthy. He told Hurley before he "died" that he was going to hell to pay for what he'd done. But here, at the well, Sayid once again chose to do the right thing, just as he helped Desmond with his constant. Sayid did not shoot Desmond, and the music told me so, along with all of the foreshadowing. Sayid is the first character to prove Jacob RIGHT, in the game between Jacob and the MiB. Prior to this moment, all men were able to be corrupted, but here, Sayid pushes away his one true love in this world, for the love of others, denying his selfish wants and choosing a selfless path. This could indeed be the beginning of the 'end'.
Cut to Flash Sideways and Sayid is telling Nadia that everything will be ok for her now, he took care of it. He says that he has to go and he'll never be able to come back again...as the doorbell rings and it's Miles, who needs to ask some questions....he runs out the back door and Sawyer trips him with the hose. I am reminded of the time that Sayid caught Sawyer and tortured him...
Cut to Kate and Sawyer coming out of the jungle and seeing Desmond's boat. Sawyer tells him his plan and she responds, When were you planning on telling me this?. This is exactly what Kate told Sawyer in the Tiger cages when he didn't want her to know that Hydra Island was a small island with no where to escape to, because he wanted her to have hope.
She then goes on to ask about Claire, and he says that she ain't coming, "that Claire you came back for is gone....she'd been drinking Locke's kool-aid, and do you really want her around Aaron?" Then they dive in to the boat...
Cut to Jack asking Claire how long she's been with Locke and she says "ever since you left, he's the only one that didn't abandon me"....as I have already noted at the beginning of this post, smokey must have been Christian for the majority of the three years they were gone. Just as Jack finishes hearing about them abandoning Claire, Locke goes to check on Sayid - before asking Sun if she'd seen him. This is when she writes, "you did this to me" on the note and XLocke denies he did anything to her. So the bump on the head must have crossed her over to sideways world perhaps, or somehow or another she lost her voice in a different way, but I believe XLocke didn't take her voice. Jack then gathers Hurley, Sun, and Frank, and off they go, abandoning Claire again.
Cut to XLocke finding Sayid, who says he just shot an unarmed man, I need a moment....great line! XLocke is questioning him here, and Sayid says that he did kill him and he can go and check if he wants to....YEAH Sayid, lying to smokey! Then they turn to leave, and still Sayid hesitates! Yes!
Cut to Jack and company running through the jungle. I note that Hurley is back to his former self, not the leader anymore. They arrive at the boat and Claire emerges with gun in hand. Kate steps up and convinces her to turn her back on XLocke/Smokey as well. Another pivotal moment....just as Sayid will not be corrupted, neither will Claire, and for what....the love of her son, and the faith in her Losties. Kate had a tear fall. Claire notes that "when he finds out we are gone, he's gonna be mad". Sayid and Claire are the first two that prove Jacob right, in the game between Jacob and MiB.
Cut to Jack and David arriving at Ilana's office, Jack talks to David's mother, who I think has to be Juliet, and he is going to stay later with Jack and have dinner. David tells Jack that he's sad for him. and Ilana introduces Jack to Claire, who tells them that Christian was her father too. *I noticed that Ilana introduced Jack to Claire as "Mr. Shepard"....didn't sound right to me as he's "Dr. Shepard". Jack gets called to an emergency and has to reschedule.
Cut to the sailboat as the Losties make their way to Hydra Island. Sawyer tells Frank the plan, then passes the wheel to Kate, and goes to talk to Jack. She tells him to "be nice", which I also think she's said before. Sawyer says that he didn't think he'd show up, that following orders has not been his strong suit, and it's nice to see him finally come around. Jack is sitting staring out to sea, just as he did in the Lighthouse after he saw his own home in the mirrors and his name on the wheel.
Jack says to Sawyer: "Doesn't feel right, leaving the Island"
Sawyer: "Want to tell me why not?"
Jack: "Because I remember the last time I left, it was like a part of me was missing..."
Sawyer: "They got pills for that, doc"
Jack: "We were brought here because we were supposed to do something, James. If that Locke, that thing, wants us to leave, may be he's afraid of what happens if we stay."
Sawyer: "Get off my damn boat"
Jack: "What?"
Sawyer: "You got a decision to make and you make it now. Either you are with us and you keep that damn crazy talk to yourself, or you're going in the water."
Jack: "James, this is a mistake, and I know there's a part of you that feels that too."
The Island's not done with us yet!. We all know this is what Eloise and Widmore have both told Desmond in the past!
Sawyer: "I'm done with this Island, so you want to take a leap of faith, Jack, then take it. Get off my damn boat!"
Jack: "I'm sorry that I got Juliet killed" And he jumps off! I am reminded of the time that Sawyer jumped ship off of the helicopter. Sawyer did it selflessly so his friends would make it, and Jack did it so that he could go back to the Island that wasn't done with him yet. Sawyer also directly told him to take the leap of faith, which Jack willingly did, as he is now the man of faith, the new John Locke.
Kate then screams, "Jack, Jack! What'd you say to him....?"
Sawyer: "He changed his mind, he ain't going with us"
Kate: "We have to go back and get him!!!"
Sawyer: We're done going back, Kate!" This is almost exactly what Jack said to Kate in the end of season 3, I think, We have to go back, Kate!"
Sawyer, imo, in this episode, is the NEW Jack. Jack is the NEW Locke, Desmond is the NEW Jacob. Sayid, Claire, Hurley, Kate, are the old Sayid, Claire, Hurley, and Kate. Everyone seems to be taking on the old persona of each other in this season.
Flash sideways and Sun wakes up and Jin tells her that your are going to be ok, the baby is fine and "it's over, and we are all going to be ok!" Cut to Jack and David walking down the corridor to surgery, David notes that his dad kept alot of things to himself, and that's probably where Jack got it from....timing is also off here....Sun is in and out of the OR and through recovery, and back in her room, while Locke is still just prepped for surgery, albeit status post MRI/cat scan, testing?
Jack leaves his son happily (will Jack leave his son happily to go to the island world for good?), and goes to operate. He notes that the dural sac is obliterated, which reminds us of the story where his dad taught him to count to 5, and then defeat fear, which he told Kate in season one. Jack responds, Yeah, I got this. I don't know who said this, most likely Jack or Sawyer, but I know that one of them did in the past....
Goes into Surgery and Locke is reflected in the mirror, and Jack recognizes him, most likely from LAX.
Then cut to Jack arriving on shore, backpack in tact, and XLocke states, "a nice day for a swim". This scene reminds me when Sawyer swam back to the shore after jumping from the helicopter and Juliet was sitting on the beach. Jack confirms that Sawyer took his boat.
Cut to Sawyer and company as they emerge on the shores of Hydra Island. Zoe rushes them with guns, the Losties put down their weapons, then Jin comes and sees Sun and we have the reunion....I, too, expected one of them to get zapped on the fence! The reunion was way toooo short! They told each other they loved each other and Jin told Sun that they would never be apart again, I promise you", as Frank noted, she got her voice back. This reunion was cut way too short, it came to an abrupt end as they were all forced to get down on their knees at gun point...this scene reminded me of the end of season 2 when Jack, Hurley, Kate, Sawyer were all forced to get on their knees at gun point on the dock by Ben and company.
Sawyer notes that they had a deal, Zoe says that the deal's off....
Cut to Jack, who hears the bombs coming and yells, as it hits he is thrown by the blast. He wakes up, just as he did in the pilot after the crash of flight 815, and he sees Locke running toward him, who grabs him and takes him to safety.....XLocke asks him is he is alright, and tells him it's gonna be ok, "you are with me now"!
I think just as Claire and Sayid were "with him", they got away, as I think that Jack will as well. Could Jack be the new MiB? Could Jack be the candidate? Could Jack be the protector?
As I noted above this whole show was about characters becoming different characters...some took on the personas of different characters....Jack, Sawyer, Desmond. While others that had evolved into new characters resorted back to original characters....Hurley, Sayid, Claire, Kate. It was also a walk down memory lane with all of the references of the past events, all of the dialogue from past shows.
The beginning of the end was in this episode with the ability of Sayid and Claire to deny XLocke, and not let him corrupt them. What's to come...next week XLocke gets to Hydra Island and look out. The war may just take one or two episodes to complete? What's to come...resolution of the game, for the Island, and hopefully for our hero Losties.
Also wanted to mention the scene when they are packing to leave camp XLocke and Claire is seen packing an apple, I also wonder if she could be the Eve of Adam and Eve?